Bunny not eating hay 2 days after dental

[PollyandEarlGrey]

Hello!

Our lovely bunny Polly went off hay last Saturday, and went into early stages of stasis. After a bit of pain relief she began eating other bits and pooping again and some emeprid, when this didn’t improve within a day, we took her to the vets, who said she seemed fine, checked her teeth, and said she had a tiny spur on her molars. I thought it was her front incisor, as I could actually see the spike on it when I was giving her meds, but they said that wasn’t a problem. A year ago she had to have her front canine burred (without having anaesthetic), but she has never had a full dental before. After 3 more days of not much change and maybe one piece of hay, which I fed her by hand, I went back to the vets and went to the rabbit dental specialist, our usual vet. He said her incisors could be done, and then said her molars probably could do with a burr as well. So he booked her for anaesthetic. We were really nervous as she’s 8 years old now, but they said it went well and she came around okay thankfully. She didn’t eat any hay at the vets but was pooping. This was Friday. Today is Sunday. We’ve been doing critical care 3x daily which she takes incredibly well and seems to lap it up from the syringe. She eats massive piles of fresh forage, dandelions, mint, apple and pear leaves, strawberry leaves. She also eats plantain like it’s going out of fashion, but she won’t touch the hay, or fibafirst sticks which contain hay. She also refused her pellets this morning, as well as the day before. Strangely, last night I saw her eat two pieces of hay voluntarily on the litter tray, but not again since then.

I am feeling more than a little worried. I hate when I can’t help immediately or know what the definite cause of no hay is. Polly has one kidney, but due to her relative brightness and the fact she was hungry for the food makes me feel it can’t be related to that, it specifically seems to be hay related items she’s refusing or avoiding. Anything wet or green she’ll eat.

What can I do? She has never had a dental before, so I don’t know how she’s reacting to it and how long she’ll take to come around to hay again. I noticed when I was syringing this morning there was a tiny speck of dried blood in the corner of her mouth - possibly from the procedure?

I’m worried she’ll be on the critical care too long and her teeth will grow back again. I also don’t want to keep her on gut stimulant for too long? She eats grass when I put her in their run, but not as much as usual.

Shall we continue critical care for foreseeable? I worry she’ll fill up on that and not want the hay. Is 2 days post anaesthetic normal to not want hay yet?

Thanks so much in advance!

 

[Omi]

I'm sorry that Polly is taking a while to return to eating her normal foods following her dental. I would think and also hope that this is just because there is still some soreness in her mouth or merely just that it feels 'different'. Eating hay involves a different technique to the green foods and so it might be causing more pain. Did the vet give her some pain relief to give at home for a few days after the dental? If not, I should maybe ask for some.

I would carry on with giving her critical care short term, but to view this as a top-up food and to try to get her to eat lots of different forage, which she seems eager to eat, including the tree leaves. I would try softening her pellets in a small amount of water, put them in a bowl, and see if she is interested. What you could do and which will help wear her teeth down just as well as hay, is to snip off lots of fresh grass and give it to her as a pile. If you could get her to eat the forage, softened pellets and the fresh grass, I think you could reduce her critical care to a very small amount, depending on how much you assess she is actually eating in total. I would hope that in another couple of days, Polly is back to her normal diet.

I would also weigh her regularly while she is eating differently to confirm that she is maintaining her weight.

Let us know how she is getting on.

 

[PollyandEarlGrey]

I'm sorry that Polly is taking a while to return to eating her normal foods following her dental. I would think and also hope that this is just because there is still some soreness in her mouth or merely just that it feels 'different'. Eating hay involves a different technique to the green foods and so it might be causing more pain. Did the vet give her some pain relief to give at home for a few days after the dental? If not, I should maybe ask for some.

I would carry on with giving her critical care short term, but to view this as a top-up food and to try to get her to eat lots of different forage, which she seems eager to eat, including the tree leaves. I would try softening her pellets in a small amount of water, put them in a bowl, and see if she is interested. What you could do and which will help wear her teeth down just as well as hay, is to snip off lots of fresh grass and give it to her as a pile. If you could get her to eat the forage, softened pellets and the fresh grass, I think you could reduce her critical care to a very small amount, depending on how much you assess she is actually eating in total. I would hope that in another couple of days, Polly is back to her normal diet.

I would also weigh her regularly while she is eating differently to confirm that she is maintaining her weight.

Let us know how she is getting on.

Hi Omi!

Thank you for your reply! She has been on the metacam since last Sunday, and still is currently. 1ml twice a day. She weighs 3.4kg currently and I will aim to weigh her every day at home now. It’s weird but she only really wants the grass when she’s out on the garden, rather than cut pieces. She sort of sniffs it then has one strand then doesn’t eat anymore. She was eating cut grass before the dental though so my thoughts are it’s post-dental soreness??

Thank you again for your very helpful reply. I will continue with the critical care, perhaps doing an extra feed in the early hours but with less CC.

Thank you again.

 

[PollyandEarlGrey]

Hi Omi!

Thank you for your reply! She has been on the metacam since last Sunday, and still is currently. 1ml twice a day. She weighs 3.4kg currently and I will aim to weigh her every day at home now. It’s weird but she only really wants the grass when she’s out on the garden, rather than cut pieces. She sort of sniffs it then has one strand then doesn’t eat anymore. She was eating cut grass before the dental though so my thoughts are it’s post-dental soreness??

Thank you again for your very helpful reply. I will continue with the critical care, perhaps doing an extra feed in the early hours but with less CC.

Thank you again.

@Omi

Sorry another question - as Polly only has one kidney, I always worry re calcium levels. Obviously dandelions are high in it, but I’m almost giving her unlimited amounts (as many as I can gather from the garden) as well as the other forage. Is that okay? I am giving her biolapis too when I syringe the food, to get extra fluids to flush it all out.

 

[Omi]

@Omi

Sorry another question - as Polly only has one kidney, I always worry re calcium levels. Obviously dandelions are high in it, but I’m almost giving her unlimited amounts (as many as I can gather from the garden) as well as the other forage. Is that okay? I am giving her biolapis too when I syringe the food, to get extra fluids to flush it all out.

I don't know whether you have seen this chart about calcium levels in various rabbit food:

Calcium and rabbit food — Frances Harcourt-Brown

www.harcourt-brown.co.uk

As you will see, it takes a very large amount of 'high calcium' veggies/forage to cause too much calcium to be ingested.

Therefore, I wouldn't be concerned about giving her lots of Dandelions and other forage. The extra fluids will also be helpful.

Do try to replace one of her syringe feeds with a few softened pellets. There probably won't be any appreciable difference in calcium content, but it would be a return to her normal diet (taste-wise).

 

[PollyandEarlGrey]

Thank you!! That’s a great idea. Annoyingly, she wasn’t fancying the softened pellets. She sniffed them a bit then ignored them, even when I put in front of her?

 

[bunny momma]

Omi gave you great information.
You are doing great.
My bridge bunny, Raven, was a dental bunny. Poly may need more time to heal, plus she may not realize she can now eat hay without pain. Like Polly, Raven took time to recover. His favorite food post dental was lots of fresh dandelion greens He also took the critical care well so he was hungry. He got pain and motility meds too. I tried to encourage him to eat his pellets by softening them, yet he was not interested. So I ground his dry pellets into a powder and mixed some with his critical care so it would taste more like his normal pellets, yet still have a good consistency for syringe feeding.
Also, if she is producing lots of poo, in a few days you may want to ask your vet about slowly tapering off motility meds if she is eating enough greens and syringe feeds to keep her gi system moving.

Sending lots of positive vibes for a full recovery to Polly.

 

[PollyandEarlGrey]

Omi gave you great information.
You are doing great.
My bridge bunny, Raven, was a dental bunny. Poly may need more time to heal, plus she may not realize she can now eat hay without pain. Like Polly, Raven took time to recover. His favorite food post dental was lots of fresh dandelion greens He also took the critical care well so he was hungry. He got pain and motility meds too. I tried to encourage him to eat his pellets by softening them, yet he was not interested. So I ground his dry pellets into a powder and mixed some with his critical care so it would taste more like his normal pellets, yet still have a good consistency for syringe feeding.
Also, if she is producing lots of poo, in a few days you may want to ask your vet about slowly tapering off motility meds if she is eating enough greens and syringe feeds to keep her gi system moving.

Sending lots of positive vibes for a full recovery to Polly.

Thank you bunny momma!

I remember reading lots of posts about your beautiful bunny Raven. Thank you for the advice! Polly's favourite is dandelions and pear leaves, she's chowing through them I can't keep up with the demand currently! Though when I see her, a bunny who usually loves her hay and sits on the litter tray for ages munching on it, just hop on it, wee and hop off again, just sniffing at the hay and not eating it - makes me sad

It's hard sometimes to not feel very negative about it all, as I'm not sure you remember, but my gorgeous boy Earl had teeth problems, and an ulcer, which lead to no eating, and no recovery after his dental - we syringe fed him for nearly two months, and then he devastatingly left us. I am traumatised by this to say the least, and I keep thinking the same will happen with Polly, which is really triggering I suppose.

She is interested in her food, and wants to look for things, eat forage, laps up her syringe feed, but just isn't on the hay yet. Only saw 2 strands get eaten on Saturday, very slowly.

I'm trying to think of any other possibility it could be that would stop her eating just hay and hay related treats, as the vets said her teeth could do with sorting, but weren't 'that bad', apparently ??

Today, she has had her meds, and has been out in the run with her hunny bun Malarkey, and she was eating quite a bit of grass out there, then came in and had a pile of fresh forage, she even attempted two food pellets this morning, but no more than that.

Oh and I weighed her today, she's still 3.4kg, same as last Monday.

Thanks so much! It's really easy to freak out and panic, but this forum always helps

 

[Shimmer]

She seems to be doing OK. She's maintaining her weight, eating grass and lots of tougher forage. Pellets are an optional extra - some are much harder texture than others, so it might be worth looking at Supreme Science Selective, for instance, if she's not already on it (introduced slowly).

It might help to try a different style of hay - I use quite soft hay bales as it's easier for the guinea pigs, but some rabbits prefer the long, stalky stuff to eat. Rabbits can be quite fickle when it comes to hay. Maybe try a couple of handsful of different ones if you can get any locally, or some free samples sent to you.

Just keep going with what you are doing. If she's still not right in a week, maybe have a word with the vet again. Any sore bits in her mouth should have healed by then, so hopefully you will see a gradual improvement. Rabbits usually bounce back to normal eating very quickly if there's no remaining dental issue. Soft tissue damage from a tooth spike or from the actual dental procedure may take a bit longer to sort out and heal, plus there may be some soreness from the brace used to hold the mouth open to allow the vet to access the back teeth better.

I can post you out a sample of my soft hay and some SSS pellets, if that would help.

 

[PollyandEarlGrey]

She seems to be doing OK. She's maintaining her weight, eating grass and lots of tougher forage. Pellets are an optional extra - some are much harder texture than others, so it might be worth looking at Supreme Science Selective, for instance, if she's not already on it (introduced slowly).

It might help to try a different style of hay - I use quite soft hay bales as it's easier for the guinea pigs, but some rabbits prefer the long, stalky stuff to eat. Rabbits can be quite fickle when it comes to hay. Maybe try a couple of handsful of different ones if you can get any locally, or some free samples sent to you.

Just keep going with what you are doing. If she's still not right in a week, maybe have a word with the vet again. Any sore bits in her mouth should have healed by then, so hopefully you will see a gradual improvement. Rabbits usually bounce back to normal eating very quickly if there's no remaining dental issue. Soft tissue damage from a tooth spike or from the actual dental procedure may take a bit longer to sort out and heal, plus there may be some soreness from the brace used to hold the mouth open to allow the vet to access the back teeth better.

I can post you out a sample of my soft hay and some SSS pellets, if that would help.

Thank you for your message shimmer!

I'm not sure if I've mentioned it on here before, but Polly had to have a mass removed from her liver 2 years ago, with suspected yersiniosis, which is a very serious virus. She has been on 0.5ml of Baytril twice a day since then. We have had a couple of stasis blips since then, but she has always recovered. We were told her prognosis was unknown, but she has been with us for 2 years since then. I am always conscious that any bout of stasis could be a liver reocurrence. I keep her on milk thistle twice a day too (alongside her antibiotics) and she's been on this for roughly the same amount of time as her antibiotics.

I am unsure as to whether I increase her Baytril dosage to more of a treatment dosage, rather than a maintenance, as I am so worried that this not eating hay is due to her liver condition. The last bloods she had a little while back came back fine. When I spoke to the vets they said to keep on as we are, but they also weren't the ones who prescribed the Baytril or who did the surgery two years ago. I am currently freaking out as I can't bear to lose her, have her be in any pain at all, but I also don't want to overreact if it's just her teeth recovery that's the issue.

Thank you in advance!

EDIT: the reason I keep thinking it's teeth and going back to that, is that even a few days after the procedure now, she is avoiding stalky things, hay, and hay treats, but eating wet and soft things? it's so confusing!

 

[PollyandEarlGrey]

She seems to be doing OK. She's maintaining her weight, eating grass and lots of tougher forage. Pellets are an optional extra - some are much harder texture than others, so it might be worth looking at Supreme Science Selective, for instance, if she's not already on it (introduced slowly).

It might help to try a different style of hay - I use quite soft hay bales as it's easier for the guinea pigs, but some rabbits prefer the long, stalky stuff to eat. Rabbits can be quite fickle when it comes to hay. Maybe try a couple of handsful of different ones if you can get any locally, or some free samples sent to you.

Just keep going with what you are doing. If she's still not right in a week, maybe have a word with the vet again. Any sore bits in her mouth should have healed by then, so hopefully you will see a gradual improvement. Rabbits usually bounce back to normal eating very quickly if there's no remaining dental issue. Soft tissue damage from a tooth spike or from the actual dental procedure may take a bit longer to sort out and heal, plus there may be some soreness from the brace used to hold the mouth open to allow the vet to access the back teeth better.

I can post you out a sample of my soft hay and some SSS pellets, if that would help.

Ps thank you for the offer of hay too, so kind of you! we live not far from the little hay company, so if I’m ever in need of a different hay I pop in which I did the other day and got 3 new types, tempted but only had one strand.

 

[bunny momma]

Thank you bunny momma!

I remember reading lots of posts about your beautiful bunny Raven. Thank you for the advice! Polly's favourite is dandelions and pear leaves, she's chowing through them I can't keep up with the demand currently! Though when I see her, a bunny who usually loves her hay and sits on the litter tray for ages munching on it, just hop on it, wee and hop off again, just sniffing at the hay and not eating it - makes me sad

It's hard sometimes to not feel very negative about it all, as I'm not sure you remember, but my gorgeous boy Earl had teeth problems, and an ulcer, which lead to no eating, and no recovery after his dental - we syringe fed him for nearly two months, and then he devastatingly left us. I am traumatised by this to say the least, and I keep thinking the same will happen with Polly, which is really triggering I suppose.

She is interested in her food, and wants to look for things, eat forage, laps up her syringe feed, but just isn't on the hay yet. Only saw 2 strands get eaten on Saturday, very slowly.

I'm trying to think of any other possibility it could be that would stop her eating just hay and hay related treats, as the vets said her teeth could do with sorting, but weren't 'that bad', apparently ??

Today, she has had her meds, and has been out in the run with her hunny bun Malarkey, and she was eating quite a bit of grass out there, then came in and had a pile of fresh forage, she even attempted two food pellets this morning, but no more than that.

Oh and I weighed her today, she's still 3.4kg, same as last Monday.

Thanks so much! It's really easy to freak out and panic, but this forum always helps

I remember going to multiple stores to find dandelion greens in the middle of winter when everything was covered with snow. My sister who passed away in February would scout stores for dandelions for my Raven too. He also enjoyed the greens from bunch/organic carrots after his dentals. He ate the carrot greens much faster than we ate the carrots, so I was always giving the carrots to people I knew.

I do not know what your vet meant by not bad. No soft tissue damage perhaps?

After your experience with Earl, I can understand why you are so anxious about having Polly get back to eating harder items like hay and pellets,, yet she is already eating lots of greens and grass on her own. She wants to eat which is a good sign. She is enjoying time in the run with Malarkey too. She has maintained her weight with the greens and the syringe feeds to supplement her eating. The greens give her lots of fluids which is good for keeping her gi system moving smoothly. While she may just need a little more time, it would not hurt to ask your vet if there are other possibilities, like elongated tooth roots.

Sending positive vibes for you and Polly.

 

[Omi]

How's Polly today? Any improvement in her eating preferences?

 

[PollyandEarlGrey]

How's Polly today? Any improvement in her eating preferences?

Hi Omi!


Thank you so much for your message.

Polly had a bit of grass this morning and forage and 3 pellets (her usual SS ones).

I booked a last minute appointment to a vet I really like at our old vets, and who knows Polly very well. She had a really good feel of her, listened to her heart, and tummy and said she’s not concerned about any of that right now. She said to dial back on critical care as she thinks Polly could be relying on it!

Then! We got back home, and I dug out a really old bag of cheap meadow hay I got once when they ran out of their nice stuff. She came straight over and started eating it, then put some on their litter tray and she started eating that too. I’m not getting too excited, but keeping fingers crossed!!

 

[Omi]

Haha, bunnies can be delightfully contrary at times can't they. Really good news that she's eating the meadow hay. It might just have been because it smelled different and so she had the confidence to try it. You might also find that she will take a chance with some of her usual hay soon now. Maybe put some of both in her litter tray in different sections.

I'm also pleased that you took Polly for a check up with your vet with a positive result. I agree that Polly could be relying on the Critical Care. I was thinking also that she might have developed a taste for it. Either way, I would gradually reduce it.

Fingers crossed she continues to improve.

 

[PollyandEarlGrey]

I remember going to multiple stores to find dandelion greens in the middle of winter when everything was covered with snow. My sister who passed away in February would scout stores for dandelions for my Raven too. He also enjoyed the greens from bunch/organic carrots after his dentals. He ate the carrot greens much faster than we ate the carrots, so I was always giving the carrots to people I knew.

I do not know what your vet meant by not bad. No soft tissue damage perhaps?

After your experience with Earl, I can understand why you are so anxious about having Polly get back to eating harder items like hay and pellets,, yet she is already eating lots of greens and grass on her own. She wants to eat which is a good sign. She is enjoying time in the run with Malarkey too. She has maintained her weight with the greens and the syringe feeds to supplement her eating. The greens give her lots of fluids which is good for keeping her gi system moving smoothly. While she may just need a little more time, it would not hurt to ask your vet if there are other possibilities, like elongated tooth roots.

Sending positive vibes for you and Polly.

That's so sweet. I'm really sorry for the loss of your sister too, she sounded a lovely person. Thank you again for your positive vibes! I've put a small update above in reply to Omi, so keeping things crossed.

Thank you again!

 

[PollyandEarlGrey]

Haha, bunnies can be delightfully contrary at times can't they. Really good news that she's eating the meadow hay. It might just have been because it smelled different and so she had the confidence to try it. You might also find that she will take a chance with some of her usual hay soon now. Maybe put some of both in her litter tray in different sections.

I'm also pleased that you took Polly for a check up with your vet with a positive result. I agree that Polly could be relying on the Critical Care. I was thinking also that she might have developed a taste for it. Either way, I would gradually reduce it.

Fingers crossed she continues to improve.

Can't they just! One minute you think they're used to the finer things in life, the next they start eating any old stuff. I think you're absolutely right as we never usually buy meadow hay, I'm glad she tried it, as it's a big bag, so hoping she has some more later on today and overnight! Tapering down now from the 5 feeds to 3 today, checking on what she's nibbling in between. Will top up with forage where she's taking breaks from hay.

Thank you so much again for your advice and message!

 

[PollyandEarlGrey]

Hello!

Polly has been progressing in tiny steps, but no more hay really which is confusing! We did only one critical care feed last night before bed, alongside some biolapis for extra hydration. I left them both lots of fresh grass from the garden, and forage, and I could see on the camera they demolished it all, Polly included. I came down to see them at 4am and to deliver some more fresh forage which she also ate!

I ordered some samples of much softer hays which came today and she sniffed at all of them quite interested, then had only one strand from the soft orchard hay then nothing else. The bigger change was she ran for her pellets this morning and ate all 8 pellets which is her usual serving. She is also grazing very well on the grass in their run in the garden

Do you think I need to wait a couple more days to see the real hay eating again? When I google it the consensus is longer than a week is not normal which freaks me out.

Yesterday was a bit of a starter where she ate a few strands here and there of hay in the afternoon, but then nothing else I could see.

I’m feeling only a tiny bit more positive that she seems to be eating slightly tougher stuff today - celery included which she avoided the days before the dental surgery and immediately after, but usually loves. So I’m glad she had that today. She’s also taking the bark from pear and apple twigs. But no big hay munching as of yet!

Thank you!

 

[Omi]

I haven't got any real answers for you, nor do I understand what is causing Polly to avoid eating hay as normal. But I didn't want to just read and ignore.

I realise that this is concerning for you and I know that in your position I would also be concerned. However, I think it's worth examining the facts about her overall manner and her eating habits this week. I think she is improving a bit more each day and that she is now eating everything she would normally eat......apart from hay, which she has tried but has only eaten very small amounts. She is not losing weight, so she is getting sufficient nutrients from what she is eating. She is eating a lot of fresh grass, so her teeth will not suffer from the lack of hay. Stripping the bark from apple and pear twigs would also suggest that her teeth are not still sore. She has also been examined by a vet who could find nothing wrong.

I can understand the temptation, but if you look at what google says, I would pay no attention to accounts which say that this sort of issue should resolve itself within so many days.

Did you just remove one of the critical care feeds yesterday? How many is she having now? I would seriously consider cutting down on those feeds. Her diet currently sounds as though it is very reasonable without having the top-ups and if she becomes more hungry then she will eat more of the foods that she is eating and maybe also some hay.

 

[PollyandEarlGrey]

I haven't got any real answers for you, nor do I understand what is causing Polly to avoid eating hay as normal. But I didn't want to just read and ignore.

I realise that this is concerning for you and I know that in your position I would also be concerned. However, I think it's worth examining the facts about her overall manner and her eating habits this week. I think she is improving a bit more each day and that she is now eating everything she would normally eat......apart from hay, which she has tried but has only eaten very small amounts. She is not losing weight, so she is getting sufficient nutrients from what she is eating. She is eating a lot of fresh grass, so her teeth will not suffer from the lack of hay. Stripping the bark from apple and pear twigs would also suggest that her teeth are not still sore. She has also been examined by a vet who could find nothing wrong.

I can understand the temptation, but if you look at what google says, I would pay no attention to accounts which say that this sort of issue should resolve itself within so many days.

Did you just remove one of the critical care feeds yesterday? How many is she having now? I would seriously consider cutting down on those feeds. Her diet currently sounds as though it is very reasonable without having the top-ups and if she becomes more hungry then she will eat more of the foods that she is eating and maybe also some hay.

Thank you for your reply Omi!

I do wonder myself if it’s her just getting used to how her teeth feel now rather than any pain? Maybe they just feel a bit funny? The fact she’s eating a bit more normally today has made me feel slightly more hopeful.

Yes, so re critical care, we reduced to one feed yesterday (in the late evening), and so far she’s had none today. Just been syringing some of the biolapis solution, but no critical feed today. I don’t plan on doing another feed this evening as she’s very keen for all other foods and veg and forage. She even ate the compressed hay pellets earlier on! But is still sniffing at the hay (all 5 types of it!)

In the night I’ll do the usual 4am veg or forage feed to them, and hope that’s enough for her tonight. I’ve seen her grazing on the ground and looking for things which is a good sign I suppose?

Thank you again for your message!